Nicole’s daughter could run six miles faster than she could walk 3/4 of a mile, that prompted her to lose 92 pounds

Nicole Klan used to enjoy cheering on her children and husband as they competed in cross country, track and field and road races. On Sunday, however, Klan will lace up her running shoes and run in the half-marathon at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon. It will be the second half-marathon Klan has completed in the year and four months since she tackled a weight-loss program on which she has lost 92 pounds. “I’ve tried literally everything to lose weight, multiple times,” said Klan, 47.  But a turning point came in October 2016, when Klan traveled to Columbus, Ohio, to watch her daughter, Tricia, compete in the Columbus half-marathon. In the time it took Klan to walk three-quarters of a mile to see Tricia at mile 6, her daughter had already passed that point. “She was faster running six miles than I was walking three-quarters of a mile, and then after walking there and back I couldn’t walk for three days,” said Klan. She also had grown concerned about her health – her blood pressure and cholesterol levels were high. On Jan. 7, 2017, Klan walked into a Weight Watchers meeting, committed to losing weight. She was shocked when she stepped on the scale and saw she weighed 255 pounds. There, one of the instructors told her she would be more successful if she participated in a physical activity she enjoyed. “All of my family members are runners – my dad ran his first marathon at 60 and they always seem like they’re having a good time, so I thought I’d give it a try."  She began walking, and when she was able to walk 45 minutes without pain, she started Couch to 5K, a program designed to help beginner runners run a 5K in nine weeks. It took Klan a little longer – five months – but in July 2017 she completed the Whiskey Rebellion Run/Walk.

posted Monday April 30th
by Karen Mansfield/ Observer-Reporter